Stan Wawrinka lost at the ATP grass court tournament at London’s Queen’s Club in the round of 16. Against the Wimbledon semi-finalist of 2017 Sam Querrey, they lost 5:7, 7:6(3), 1:6.
The 2010 Queen’s winner fended off seven set points in the first set and served 25 aces to reach the quarter-finals after one minute and 56 minutes. There the American now meets the top seeded Marin Cilic or Gilles Muller from Luxembourg.
After his two operations on his left knee, Wawrinka is still looking for self-confidence and match practice.
In a dramatic tenth game of the first set, in which Querrey served six aces, but also two double mistakes, the number 13 pulled the world’s head out of the noose. He then took eight of the next ten points to grab the first set after 48 minutes.
In the second set, Wawrinka missed another set point at 6-5, but took the lead in the tiebreak by scoring four of the first five points.
In the decision, however, Querrey only scored four points on his own serve and set the decisive pinpricks even in his return games. It was the first victory over Wawrinka since the China Open 2013, Querrey scored 5-2 in the head-to-head.
On Wednesday afternoon Jeremy Chardy beat Daniil Medvedev 7:6(6), 6:3. Frances Tiafoe defeated Leonardo Mayer 6:4, 2:6, 6:4.